Barrel-locking device for breakdown guns



April 12. 1921.

L. P. SMITH BARREL LOCKING DEVICE FOR BREAKDOWN GUNS Filed Aug. 27, 1925 till Patented Apr. 12, 1927. I

UNITED 'EFIQE.

LOUIS P. SMITH, OF ITHACA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB- 'IO ITHACA GUN COMPANY, OF

ITHACA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BARREL-LOCKING DEVICE FOR BREAKDOXVN GUNS.

Application filed August 27, 1925. Serial No. 52,897.

This invention relates to improvements in barre]. locking devices for break-down guns. The primary object of the invention is the provision of an etlicient locking mechanism for break-down guns and means which functions to prevent any possible damage to the locking mechanism by holding the latter in its unlocked position until the bar rel breech has been returned to its closed position. v

Other objects and advantages vention will be apparent during of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a break-down type of gun showing a barrel locking mechanism,

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the frame portion of the gun structure shown in Fig. 1, I L

F igure 3 1s a longitudinal sectional view of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

Figure 4 illustrates a fragmentary side elevational view, and a fragmentary bottom plan view of the top lever and stem portion shown in the assembled view illustrated in Fig. 1,

Figure 5 shows atop plan view and a side elevational view of a belt which forms a part of the barrel locking mechanism,

Figure 6 shows a top plan View and a side elevational view of a bolt operating cam,

Figure 7 shows a side elevational view and a top plan view of a trip employed for holdingthe bolt in its unlocked position, and

Figure 8 is a detail elevational view of the bolt actuating cap.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral 5 designates a gun frame which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is formed with a pair of spaced, substantially square openings 6 which enter the same from the barrel breech end 7 and which are connected by a substantially square or rectangular opening or cutaway portion 8 at their inner ends. The face '7 is further formed with cutout portions 9 that intersect the openings 6 and are intended to receive the ears carried by the breech end of the barrel 10, shown in Fig.

of the inthe course 1, the ears just referred to being omitted from Fig. l to permit the better illustrating of the bolt and trip mechanism.

In Fig. 5 there is shown in detail a substantially U-shaped barrel locking bolt 11 which is formed with the back portion the side arm Z) with its inwardly formed notch c, and the second side the notch (2- will be described in respect to the functions performed by the same at a later point.

In F ig. 6 there is shown a bolt operating cam which includes a body portion 12 having formed therein a rectangularly-shaped opening 13 having the countersunk portion 14 communicating therewith. This body portion 12 of the cam is formed at one end with a longitudinally extending, substantially cylindrical-shaped arm 15. This cam is intended to be arranged in the same plane as the bolt 7 and to extend transversely of the same with the substantially cylindrically-shapedarm 15 received in the notch cof the bolt.

In Fig. 4 there is shown an operating lever which includes the lever arm 16 having the cylindrically-shaped stem portion 17 projecting therefrom which is formed at its free end with the rectangularly-shaped extension 18 having the reduced, substantially cylindrically-shaped end portion 19 formed thereon.

IVhen the members shown in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive are assembled, the bolt operating cam, shown in F ig. 6, is associated with the bolt 11 in the manner previously described.

The rectangularly-shaped extension 18 of the top lever 16 is received within the rectangularly-shaped opening 13 formed in the cam body-12 and the top lever arm 16'extends longitudinally of the substantially U- shaped bolt 11 and in a direction opposite to the direction in which the side arms 7) and cZ- of the bolt extend. In Fig. 1, a bolt 20 is illustrated as being threaded til within the portions 17, 18 and 19 of the top lever. It will be seen," by inspecting Fig. 4, that these portions are provided with an internally threaded bore 21. This bolt functions to retain the cam upon the extension and end portion 18 and 19 of the top lever and has its head. portion received in the countersunk part 14 of the cam body 1:2.

In Fig, 1 there is shown a bolt spring cap 22 which is received within the recess /i of the back -aof the bolt ll and is operated upon by the cap spring 23. It will now be seen that this spring 23, with its bolt spring cap 22, functions to normally urge the U-shaped bolt 11 toward the breech end of the barrel.

To withdrawthe-ends of the side arms -Z) and cZ of the U-shaped bolt 11 out of their locking positions in respect to the barrel ears, not shown, the top lever 16 is pivoted or moved to the right of the gun frame 5. This pivoting of the top lever causes the cam body 12 to pivot for moving its arm 15 toward the stock end of the frame 5. This movement of the cam arm 15 will cause the U-shaped bolt 11 to be shifted to withdraw the ends of its side arms out of the cutaway portions 9 of the frame 5. The barrel may then be pivoted for opening the breech end of the same. It will be apparent that it is very desirable to prevent the return of the bolt 11 to its locking position until the barrel has been moved into its closed position. For this reason, a substantially I-shaped trip 24- is slidably mounted within the frame 5 and has its longer arm 25 tapered at its end 26 and arranged to move into one of the openings 6 in the frame 5 when permitted, this movement being brought about by the spring 27 which is constantly forcing against the bottom portion 28 of the said trip. The shorter end 29 of this trip underlies the breech end 10 of the barrel and is intended to be projected into the space occupied. by this breach end 10 when the barrel is closed. The tapered end 26 of the trip 24: is arranged to register-with and enter the recess y formed in the beveled end portion f of the arm b, when the bolt 1.1 has been moved into its unlocked position. This entrance of the tapered end 526 into the recess --g will re tain the bolt 11 in its unlocked position until the breech end 10 of the barrel is returned to its closed position, whereupon this breech end will engage the shorter end 29 of the trip and will force the entire trip downwardly against the pressure of the. spring 27 to withdraw the tapered end 26 from the recess The bolt spring 23 will then be'free to move the bolt 11 into its barrel locking position.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim. 1

Having thus described the invention, I claim In a barrel lock for break-down guns, a frame having a barrel breech receiving cutout portion, a barrel l'n-eechn'iovable into and out of said cutout portion, a horizontal U-shaped slidable bolt movable forwardly for locking the barrel breech in said cutout portion,'a manually rotatable vertical shaft articulated to the inner side of one leg of the bolt for moving the bolt rearwardly into its unlocked position, and yieldable means constantly urging the bolt to ward its locked position.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

LOUIS P, SMITH. 

